GLAD Statement on the New Conscience and Religious Freedom Division at HHS

The existence of the new division does not change the law. Freedom of religion is already protected in our laws and by our constitution. At the same time, all people deserve access to medically-necessary health care without fear of denial. That must and it does include access to reproductive or transition-related health care.

HHS rolled out this new division with a press conference essentially advertising a call for conscience objections. That risks encouraging individual actors to discriminate, and that is dangerous.

We’ll be keeping an eye on these new developments to ensure they don’t put vulnerable populations at further risk, and, as always, we encourage anyone who does experience anti-LGBTQ discrimination in a health care setting to contact us at www.GLADAnswers.org